38 BIRD GALLERV. 



Family III. COLUMBID^E. PIGEONS. 



This family includes all the remaining species of the order. Of the 

 Ground Pigeons exhibited we may specially mention the Giant Crowned 

 Pigeons (Goura) (208, 209), the Grey-naped Ground-Pigeon (Otidiphaps 

 cervicalis) (210) from New Guinea, held by some to be an ally of 

 Didunculus, the Nicobar Pigeon (Caloenas nicobarica) (213) with its 

 remarkable metallic plumage and long neck-hackles, the Wonga-wonga 

 (Leucosarcia picata) (214) from East Australia, and the beautiful 

 Bartlett's Blood-breasted Pigeon (Phlogcenas crinigera) (215) from the 

 Philippines. In all these it will be noted the length of the leg is very 

 conspicuously greater than in the tree-haunting type of Pigeon. 

 L Case 19. , Above these will be seen the beautiful Bronze- winged Dove 

 (Chalcophaps indica) (227), and the diminutive Long-tailed AfricanDove 

 ((Ena capensis) (228), one of the smallest of all the Pigeons. Next come 

 the more familiar species belonging to the genera Turtur and Columba. 

 Of the former the Turtle-Dove (T. turtur} (231) may be specially 

 mentioned, and of the latter the Stock-Dove (237), the Rock-Dove (238), 

 and the Wood-Pigeon (239), all common species in the British Isles. 

 The Bock-Dove is noteworthy, as from this species all the domesticated 

 varieties have been derived. The handsome Reiuwardt's Cuckoo-Dove 

 (Reimvardtcenas reinwardti) (240) and the Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes 

 migratorms) (241), of Eastern North America, complete the more 

 noticeable species in this Case. The latter species is now almost extinct, 

 though only a few years ago it was met with in such countless flocks 

 that a colony seen by the naturalist Wilson on one occasion was 

 estimated to consist of more than 2,230 millions ! As late as 1878 a 

 "roost" of these birds, at Petosky in Michigan, occupied an area twenty- 

 eight miles long by three or four broad. During the nesting season 

 millions of birds are said to have been slaughtered without producing 

 any appreciable reduction in their numbers. 



[Case 20. j Resplendent colours are characteristic of the Fruit-Pigeons, though 

 green may be said to be the predominant tone. Some, such as the 

 Chatham Island form (Hemiphaga chathamensis) (249), exhibited on the 

 floor of this Case, are of large size, and a curious crested species, 

 Lopholcemus antarcticus (248) from New South Wales, will be found 

 near it. The Nutmeg-Pigeon (Myristicivora bicolor) (250) from the 

 Malay Archipelago is a striking form, pure white with the flight-feathers 

 and tip of the tail black. Among the more brilliantly coloured forms 

 are the Orange Fruit-Pigeon (Chryscenas victor) (262) from the Fiji 

 Islands, and the Jambu Fruit-Pigeon (Ptilopus jambu) (271) from 

 Borneo. The Red-crowned Pigeon (Alectrcenas pulcherrima] (261) 

 from the Seychelles represents a remarkable little group, one of which, 



